_A regular Mull--Origin of the Phrase._--"You have made a regular _mull_
of it," meaning a complete failure. This expression I have often heard,
from my school days even to the present time. Can you give me the origin
of it? In reading a very clever and interesting paper communicated by J.
M. Kemble, Esq., to the Archæological Institute of Great Britain and
Ireland in the volume of their proceedings for 1845, entitled, "The
Names, Surnames, and Nicnames of the Anglo-Saxons," I found the
following paragraph:
"Two among the early kings of Wessex are worthy of peculiar
attention, viz., the celebrated sons of Cênberht, Cædwealha and
his brother Mûl. Of the former it is known, that after a short and
brilliant career of victory, he voluntarily relinquished the power
he had won, became a convert to Christianity, and having retired
to Rome, was there baptised by the name Petrus, and died while yet
in the Albs, a few days after the ceremony. His brother Mûl,
during their wars in Kent, suffered himself to be surprised by the
country-people and was burnt to death, together with twelve
comrades, in a house where they had taken refuge."
This "Note," I think, answers my Query. Do you know of any other
explanation?